Embodiments include techniques and objects related to a wearable audio device that includes a microphone to detect a plurality of sounds in an environment in which the wearable audio device is located. The wearable audio device further includes a non-acoustic sensor to detect that a user of the wearable audio device is speaking. The wearable audio device further includes one or more processors communicatively to alter, based on an identification by the non-acoustic sensor that the user of the wearable audio device is speaking, one or more of the plurality of sounds to generate a sound output. Other embodiments may be described or claimed.